Week 10 - Sac State vs Weber State
The 6th ranked Hornets (6-2, 4-0 BSC) host the 3rd ranked Weber State (6-2, 4-0 BSC) Wildcats in a heavyweight matchup that will give the winner an inside track to the Big Sky Conference title. Both of these teams have yet to lose an FCS game this season. WSU is coming into Hornet Stadium on a 5 game win streak and are fresh off a 36-20 drubbing of those people on the wrong side of the Causeway.
Weber State runs multiple single back formations. They are a run first offense that looks to ground and pound behind their big OL with a gadget play mixed in every so often. WSU’s offense is currently ranked 85th/12th in FCS/BSC: 30.0 ppg (46th/7th), 350.5 ypg, 183.0 rush ypg (33rd/4th), 167.5 pass ypg (103rd/12th). WSU has played 2 QBs this season with Jake Constantine (51/80, 867 yds, 3 TD, 4 INT, 145 car, 412 yds, 7 TD) starting the last 2 games and putting up better numbers on the year. The Wildcats have 2 RBs that are big and like to pound away. Josh Davis (107 car, 690 yds, 8 TD) and Kevin Smith (90 car, 406 yds, 2 TD) are both capable of carrying the load for this offense. WR Devon Cooley (35 rec, 431 yds, 2 TD) is the top target for the QBs, but 4 others have 17 or more receptions on the year so this offense spreads the ball around when it goes airborne.
Weber State’s stout 4-3 defense is the backbone of this team and thrives on forcing turnovers (+12 TO margin on the year, 12 fum/8 INT). The DL is big and physical and completely dominated a week ago. The Wildcats are currently ranked 27th/1st in FCS/BSC: 20.4 ppg (17th/2nd), 347.4 ypg, 116.8 rush ypg (22nd/3rd), 230.6 pass ypg (71st/2nd). SS Preston Smith (46 tkl, 2.5 TFL, 1 INT) and MLB Noah Vaea (41 tkl, 4 TFL) leads the defense in tackles. 3 DL (Williams, Rodriguez, Tarlas) have 4.5 or more sacks on the year.
WSU has the best kicker in the BSC in Trey Tuttle (15/17 FG, 25/26 PAT) who is virtually automatic and has a long of 52 on the year. Their net punting numbers (41.2 ypp, 2nd BSC) are atop the BSC and if WR/KR Rashid Shaheed is healthy, they’ll have a dangerous weapon in the return game.
This week's matchup has a lot of interesting similarities. Both teams play an aggressive style of defense that likes to get after the QB (Hornets have 32 sacks on the year, WSU a distant 2nd with 23). And neither offense gives up many sacks (Hornet have allowed 8, WSU 11). The key area to watch will be who defends the redzone better. On the year, WSU’s offense is atop the BSC in redzone scoring efficiency (26/28, 19 TD/7 FG), and the Hornets are atop the BSC in defensive redzone efficiency (17/27, 12 TD/5 FG). Something has got to give, the question is by whom.
This game should be a doozy. I’m going with this hot Hornet team to jump on the scoreboard early and get Weber away from their ground and pound gameplan.
Stingers Up!
The 6th ranked Hornets (6-2, 4-0 BSC) host the 3rd ranked Weber State (6-2, 4-0 BSC) Wildcats in a heavyweight matchup that will give the winner an inside track to the Big Sky Conference title. Both of these teams have yet to lose an FCS game this season. WSU is coming into Hornet Stadium on a 5 game win streak and are fresh off a 36-20 drubbing of those people on the wrong side of the Causeway.
Weber State runs multiple single back formations. They are a run first offense that looks to ground and pound behind their big OL with a gadget play mixed in every so often. WSU’s offense is currently ranked 85th/12th in FCS/BSC: 30.0 ppg (46th/7th), 350.5 ypg, 183.0 rush ypg (33rd/4th), 167.5 pass ypg (103rd/12th). WSU has played 2 QBs this season with Jake Constantine (51/80, 867 yds, 3 TD, 4 INT, 145 car, 412 yds, 7 TD) starting the last 2 games and putting up better numbers on the year. The Wildcats have 2 RBs that are big and like to pound away. Josh Davis (107 car, 690 yds, 8 TD) and Kevin Smith (90 car, 406 yds, 2 TD) are both capable of carrying the load for this offense. WR Devon Cooley (35 rec, 431 yds, 2 TD) is the top target for the QBs, but 4 others have 17 or more receptions on the year so this offense spreads the ball around when it goes airborne.
Weber State’s stout 4-3 defense is the backbone of this team and thrives on forcing turnovers (+12 TO margin on the year, 12 fum/8 INT). The DL is big and physical and completely dominated a week ago. The Wildcats are currently ranked 27th/1st in FCS/BSC: 20.4 ppg (17th/2nd), 347.4 ypg, 116.8 rush ypg (22nd/3rd), 230.6 pass ypg (71st/2nd). SS Preston Smith (46 tkl, 2.5 TFL, 1 INT) and MLB Noah Vaea (41 tkl, 4 TFL) leads the defense in tackles. 3 DL (Williams, Rodriguez, Tarlas) have 4.5 or more sacks on the year.
WSU has the best kicker in the BSC in Trey Tuttle (15/17 FG, 25/26 PAT) who is virtually automatic and has a long of 52 on the year. Their net punting numbers (41.2 ypp, 2nd BSC) are atop the BSC and if WR/KR Rashid Shaheed is healthy, they’ll have a dangerous weapon in the return game.
This week's matchup has a lot of interesting similarities. Both teams play an aggressive style of defense that likes to get after the QB (Hornets have 32 sacks on the year, WSU a distant 2nd with 23). And neither offense gives up many sacks (Hornet have allowed 8, WSU 11). The key area to watch will be who defends the redzone better. On the year, WSU’s offense is atop the BSC in redzone scoring efficiency (26/28, 19 TD/7 FG), and the Hornets are atop the BSC in defensive redzone efficiency (17/27, 12 TD/5 FG). Something has got to give, the question is by whom.
This game should be a doozy. I’m going with this hot Hornet team to jump on the scoreboard early and get Weber away from their ground and pound gameplan.
Stingers Up!
